PlainPill
SupplementAnxietyMoodSleep

Ashwagandha

People mainly take Ashwagandha for anxiety, mood, sleep. Based on 961 first-hand reports and 48 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #101 of 1,974 overall.

Compare with…Alternatives for anxiety
50
User score
Mixed
25% positive21% mixed14% negative40% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 42% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
48
meta-analyses
59
RCTs
2,056
papers

What Ashwagandha does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

Anxiety87% of 345Mood52% of 225Sleep74% of 108Libido63% of 59Energy60% of 50Focus77% of 26Hormones76% of 21Performance100% of 17Memory60% of 5Heart & lipids67% of 3Digestion67% of 3
7 more with fewer than 3 reports
Skin & hair50% of 2Weight loss100% of 1Appetite100% of 1Immunity100% of 1Pain & inflammation100% of 1Recovery100% of 1Blood sugar0% of 1
betterno changeworse

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

Phytother Res · 2022 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Conclusion: The current systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs revealed a beneficial effect in both stress and anxiety following Ashwagandha supplementation. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant.

PubMed 36017529 ↗
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr · 2023 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Plant-derived nootropics and human cognition: A systematic review

Conclusion: Caffeine enhances attention and executive functions. Together, the results from the compiled studies highlight the nootropic effects and the inconsistencies regarding PDNs that require further research.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.2021137.

PubMed 34978226 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

daily (past)as reported
800-1600 mgafter dinner
before bedas reported
dailyas reported
occasional, as neededas reported
800 mgas needed

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

anhedonia ×77emotional blunting ×23anxiety ×20drowsiness ×20irritability ×17depression ×12apathy ×9fatigue ×8

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“I used to take Ashwagandha daily but stopped.”
Source discussion ↗
“ashwagandha”
Source discussion ↗
“stopped ashwagandha for 2 weeks etc. but nothing worked”
Source discussion ↗
“Boron, Ashwagandha, Creatine + HMB, Multivitamin, and Pre/Post/Pro-biotic fiber gummies.”
Source discussion ↗
“watch how much Ashwagandha you consume and make sure it's KSM-66.”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for anxiety

Retatrutide
Peptide · 298 reports
73
67% report better anxiety
Mostly positiveBResearch: Moderate
Caffeine + L-Theanine
Supplement · 46 reports
72
100% report better anxiety
Mostly positive
Creatine Monohydrate
Supplement · 139 reports
66
60% report better anxiety
Mostly positiveAResearch: Strong
Magnesium Malate
Supplement · 103 reports
66
75% report better anxiety
Mostly positiveDResearch: None
Intermittent Fasting
Lifestyle · 171 reports
63
80% report better anxiety
Mostly positive
Magnesium Glycinate
Supplement · 910 reports
63
81% report better anxiety
Mostly positiveCResearch: Limited

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate